Controlling system for railway vehicles or trains.



No. 735,714. PATENT ED AUG. 11, 1903.

J. L. GROUSE.

CONTROLLING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES OR TRAINS.

AVPPLIOATION FILED FEB. 20, 1903.

NO MODEL WITNESSES: 6%JJZM 2 B,

- ITT URNEY.

UNITED STATES Patented August 11, 1903.

PATENT OFFICE.

JOHN L. OROUSE, OF NEW YORK, N. Y., ASSIGNQR TO GEORGE'VVESTING- HOUSE, OF PITTSBURG, PENNSYLVANIA.

CONTROLLING SYSTEM FOR RAILWAY VEHICLES OR TRAINS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. '73 5,714, dated August 11, 1903.

Application filed February 20,1903. Serial No. 144,356. (NomodeL) To a whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, J OHN L. ORoUsE, a citizen of the United States,residin g atNew York, in the county of New York and State of New York, have invented a newand useful Improvement in Controlling Systems for Railway Vehicles or Trains, of which the following is a specification.

Myinvention relates to apparatus employed for controlling the operation of electricallypropelled vehicles or trains in which all of the motor-controllers are actuated synchronously by means of power the application of which is governed by a manually-operated I5 governing-switch and an electric circuit in which such switch is located.

The object of my invention is to provide an improved means for interruptingthe powercircuit and effecting the return of the motor zo controller-drum to its initial position when the brakes are applied to the vehicle or train.

My invention is illustrated inthe single figure of the accompanying drawing,which is a diagram ofso much of the electric and pneumatic portions of a controlling system as pertains directly to my invention. Other features which belong to a complete controller system and which are shown, for example,

in Patent No. 624,277, granted to George Westinghouse May 2, 1899, and in Patents Nos. 682,828 and 684,609, granted to E. R.

Hill September 17, 1901, and October 15, 1901,

respectively, are for convenience omitted;

but reference may be had to the said patents for any additional illustration and description that may be deemed necessary in order to obtain a full and clear understanding of the system as a whole.

The controller 1 is provided with two ratchet-disks 2 and 3, which are respectively operated by two pawls 4 and 5, movement of which is effected in the usual manner in one direction by means of pneumatic pressure in a cylinder 6 and in the other direction by a 5 spring. (Not shown.) The return of the controller-drum to its initial position is also effected in the usual manner by means of a toothed Wheel 7 and a rack-bar 8, the latter being moved in one direction by pneumatic 5o pressure in the cylinder 9 and in the other direction by a spring. (Not shown.) The application of the pneumatic pressure in the cylinder 6 is governed by an electromagnetically-actuated valve, (represented in outline at 10,) and the application of the pneumatic pressure to the cylinder 9 is governed by a similar electromagnetically-controlled valve, (represented at 11.)

The governing-circuit for the magnets of the devices 10 and 11 is supplied with energy to bya battery 12 and is provided with a manually operated governing switch 13, here shown as comprising three stationary contact-terminals 14., one of which leads to one magnet, another to the other magnet, and the third to one terminal of the battery, the movable member 15 of the switch being so constructed as to first make the battery connection for the magnet of the device 10 and subsequently the battery connection of the magnet of the device 11.

The governing-switch 13 and the other apparatus are, as has already been indicated, of greatly -simplified construction as compared with what would be employed in acomplete controlling system; but the apparatus shown is operative and discloses a sufficient number of the elements of the system to illustrate my present improvement.

The closing of the circuit of the magnet part of the device 10 serves to admit air from the reservoir 16 through the pipe 17 to the cylinder 6, and thus aotuates the pawls 4 and 5 to move the controller-drum one step. So long as the governing-switch is maintained in this position there will be no further movement of the controller-drum in the absence of other means for breaking the governingcircuit. I therefore provide a repeating switch 18, the movable member of Which is magnetically actuated by the forward movement of the pawls 4 and 5 to break the governing-circuit and by their rearward movement to again close the circuit, so that the pawls are reciprocated automatically. 5

The vehicle-brakes (not shown) are operated by a brake-cylinder 18 its piston, (not shown,) the piston-rod 19, and suitable levers and rods connected thereto when the engineers valve 20 is manipulated for that pur- 10o pose. In order that the controller-drum may be released and returned to its initial or zero position when the brakes are applied, I provide a switch 21, one stationary terminal 22,

- of which is connected to one pole of the batwhen the brakes are applied air fwill beadmitt-ed to the cylinder 28' through pipeii29, and thus open the switch 21, it being held normally closed by meansfof a coiled spring 30. The contact-terminal 24: is shorter than the terminal 23 in order that the governi ngcircuit for the operating-'pawls Land 5 may be first broken to insure the release of the ratchet-disk from the paw ls before the mechanism for returning the nontroller-drum to its initial position is set operation.

Variations from what is shown as regards details of construction may obviously be made without departing from my invention, and I therefore desire it tojbe understood that the invention is not to be limited except as restrictions may be imposed by the prior art.

I'claim as my invention ,1. In a controlling system for railway vehicles or trains, the combination with means for imparting a forward movement to each controller and means for returning the same to its initial position, of electric governingcircuits for said controller-operating means, an air-brake system, a switch for successively breaking said governingcircuits and pneumatically-actuated means connected to the brake-cylinder for operating said switch when the brakes are applied. '7

2. In a controlling system for railway vehieles or trains, the combination with independent means for operating each controller in its two directions and electric governingcircuits therefor, of braking apparatus, a switch for said governing-circuits and connections between the same and the braking apparatus whereby the governing-circuits are successively broken when the brakes are applied. "j

3. In a controlling system for railway vehi'cles or trains, the combination with means for imparting a step-by-step movement to each controller in one direction and means for returning the same to its initial position, of electric governing-circuits for said controller-operatingmeans, a switch for making and breaking said circuits, braking apparams and connections between the same and said switch which are made operative by the setting of the brakes to open said governingcircuits successi yely.

4. In a controlling system for railway vehicles or trains, the combination with operating means to produce forward movement of each controller and operating means to produce rearward movement of the same, of governing electric circuits for said operating means, a switch for said circuits, a cylinder and piston for 'operating the same, an airbrake system and a pipe connection between the brake-cylinder and the switch-cylinder whereby the switch-piston is moved to suecessively open the governing-circuits when the brakes are applied.

In testimony whereof I have hereunto subscribed my name this 13th day of February, 1903.

JOHN L. CROUSE. 

